Further Along
by Ferdy 63
Summary: This is a look at the lives of the main characters about fifteen years later after the end of Season 4. The core group of Rick, Carl, Daryl, Glen, Judith, Carol, Maggie and Beth are still alive and together. Just a look at their lives after so much time has passed. Hope you likle it and reviews are greatly appreciated.
1. Growing up Grimes

Everything had been against her from the moment she took her first breath. She'd heard the story too many times to count about how her mother had chosen to give up her life in order to save her child. It was a big responsibility to think that you owed your life to someone else. Judith had always felt like she needed to prove herself.

She didn't remember anything about her first home, the infamous prison. Her Dad still talked about it. She could tell he missed it. Maybe it was because her Mom was buried there. She hoped she'd get to see it someday, maybe find that missing picture of her Mom that Carl said he had hidden away for her.

Through the years her family group had lived in a lot of places, never one spot for more than a few months. The earliest memory she had was of a place with big windows that smelled like motor oil. Carl told her it was an old auto repair shop that they'd stayed at one winter. Then there'd been a farm house surrounded by big trees. They'd stayed there the longest of any place she could recall. She'd loved that place until it had been overrun.

It was always the same. Their presence seemed to attract the walkers eventually no matter how quiet they were. She had learned from the earliest age that crying or shouting were not allowed because loud noises were dangerous. Being quiet and still were things that most two year olds didn't understand, but for those like her, born in the new world of the walking dead, learning those things meant survival for themselves and their family.

People in their group came and went. Her family, Rick, Carl, Daryl, Carol, Maggie, Glen and Beth had always been there with her. Somehow they'd all stayed together despite all the hardships. They'd watched their friends fall, either to sickness, injury or bites. There had never been other kids her age around to have as playmates so she'd learned how to fit in with the grownups.

She'd learned self-defense from her Dad. Carl had taught her how to shoot. Daryl made sure she knew how to hunt and track and use a bow. Carol, who had been her Mom for all intents and purposes, taught her how to use a knife and about first aid and natural medicines. Glen taught her how to be sneaky and fast on her feet. Maggie and Beth had taught her all the girl stuff she needed to know along with a bunch of Irish folk songs. Each of them had made sure she knew how to survive.

It was weird to hear the others talk about how things had been before the turn. What they remembered sounded like a fantasy to her. What would it be like to be able to push a button and have light whenever you wanted it or go to a store and buy fresh food or have hot water to shower in and wash your clothes, doctors and medicine to treat the sick or wounded, planes that could fly you anywhere in the whole world? Those were foreign ideas to someone like Judith, not that there were many like her.

There had been other babies born in their group, none had survived very long. Maggie and Glen had a baby boy when Judith was about six. He was born too early and only lived a few days. With no doctors or medicine, babies had to be tough and strong. Judith always wondered if her Mom's sacrifice had somehow given her extra protection. She'd gotten sick a few times over the years but she'd always managed to recover. Daryl just joked and said she was living up to her nickname, "L'il Asskicker".

Judith awoke on her the morning of her 16th birthday to bright sunshine flooding through the window. They were living on the second floor of a building on an old National Guard base. It was a pretty secure location, completely surrounded by a fence. They'd been here now for almost four months and her Dad wasn't talking about leaving yet.

She got dressed in her worn old jeans, a t-shirt and boots before pulling her long dark hair into a ponytail. She checked her reflection in a piece of broken mirror that she'd propped on a table next to her bed. Carl and her Dad always told her that she looked just like her Mom except for her blue eyes.

She skipped down the steps singing a tune to herself. It was an old song that Beth had taught her, "Well, he bought her a dime store watch and a ring made from a spoon". She turned the corner at the foot of the stairs and ran smack into Daryl.

"Happy Birthday, Little Asskicker," he said, giving her a hug.

She blushed as she looked behind him to see her whole family standing around the table. Carol and Beth had made pancakes with wild blueberries, her favorite. They'd put flowers on the table and there were a couple of small gifts wrapped in pretty scraps of fabric and ribbon.

"You guys shouldn't have done all this," she muttered.

Rick walked up and swept her into a bear hug, "We wanted to Judy. I can't believe my baby girl is 16."

"Oh, Dad!" she said but she hugged him back with a big smile.

Then she ran over and hugged Carol and Beth together. "Thank you both. I know you did all this cooking and decorating. It's great."

Carol smiled and pushed a strand of hair behind Judith's ear. "Glad you like it. Happy Birthday, sweet pea," Carol told her as she hugged her close.

Beth just smiled and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.

She sat down and Carol loaded her plate with pancakes and topped them with honey that Daryl had collected from a hive a few weeks ago. He'd earned a few stings but with the first taste she figured it had definitely been worth it.

The family gathered around the table and everyone dug in. At an adjacent table sat two people who had recently joined their group, Len and Constance. Len was a tall, gangly fellow with a bushy beard. He was in his late 30's and had a long angry scar on his left cheek. He was even less communicative than Daryl which Judith found hard to fathom. Constance was younger, maybe even in her early 20's. She was friendly but still a bit standoffish. Judy figured they were still trying to figure where they fit in.

At the moment Constance was about 8 ½ months pregnant which led everyone, including Len, to view her with a mixture of hope and fear. It wasn't helping her to feel at home even though Carol was trying to let them know they were welcome.

They all ate silently for a while until Carl grabbed one of the packages and tossed it to Judith. "Here, sis, this one is from me," he told her. It was a box wrapped in a big green bow. She eagerly pulled at the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a holster similar to the one her father carried only it was smaller. She turned it sideways and saw that her initials and a rose were burned into the leather. She immediately stood up and tried it on. It was a perfect fit and her pistol fit snugly into it against her hip.

"Thanks, Carl. I love it," she told him. Her big bro beamed with pride.

The next gift was from Daryl, Carol, Glen and Maggie. Carol prefaced the gift by saying, "This is something for when the weather gets colder." They'd all worked together gathering rabbit pelts and sewing them into leg warmers. It was the softest thing she'd ever felt. They wrapped around her calf just above her boots and tied with laces around her leg. "This is beautiful. Just perfect. Thank you all," she said with a huge grin.

Beth was next with a box that had been decorated with hearts and flowers. Judith opened it to find a dress of ivory lace with a blue sash at the waist. It was pretty but not exactly Judy's style. She looked up at Beth quizzically. "I know," Beth said sheepishly, "I just figured you needed one girly thing. You never know." Beth always hoped Judith would turn out to be more like her but she'd never outgrown the tomboy stage. It wasn't really practical to be a girly girl in this life.

Daryl chimed in, "You know you're gonna have to model that for us, don't ya?" Everyone else readily agreed.

"Oh, yeah, Judith in a dress! It'll be a miracle," Carl laughed. She threw one of the empty boxes at his head as punishment.

"I've worn dresses before," she reminded him.

"Not since you were old enough to dress yourself," he smirked.

Finally her Dad handed her a small box wrapped in pink satin. She took the box and untied the bow. The fabric slid off revealing a small square box. She opened it and inside lay a silver heart locket. "It was your Mom's," he told her, "I've been saving it for you." Tears welled up in her eyes making her feel like a big jerk but when she looked up everyone seemed to wiping away tears. She picked it up with shaking hands and placed it gently around her neck. Rick did the clasp for her. She looked down where the locket lay against her chest. It was the prettiest thing she'd ever owned.

"Well, I think it's time for a fashion show, don't you?" Carl teased. Everyone was looking her way and smiling.

"Oh, my God. Okay! I'll try on the dress for heaven's sake," Judith huffed before heading upstairs to her room.

She pulled off her worn old clothes and slipped the dress over her head. It fell to about her mid-thigh and zipped up the back. She was squirming around trying to reach the zipper when she heard Beth slip in the door behind her. "Here, let me," Beth said. She zipped the dress and tied the sash.

Judith turned around. Beth gasped, "Wow! You look different!"

"Different good or different bad?" Judith asked nervously.

"Good, definitely good. Oh, gosh, I wish we had a mirror," Beth exclaimed. Judith picked up the small piece from her table and tried to see as much as she could. She couldn't see what the fuss was about. It was pretty but totally impractical. "Come on, you've got to show your Dad," Beth said pulling her towards the stairs.

Beth stopped her at the top of the stairs and yelled down, "Okay, guys, get ready for a shocker." Then she pushed Judith in front of her and whispered, "Go on."

It was beyond weird to know she was walking down the stairs while everyone stared. What was even weirder was that everyone at the table was staring at her in open mouthed surprise.

"What?" she asked. "Do I look awful? Why is everyone staring?" She couldn't help it. She could feel the tears starting. She turned and ran back up the stairs and into her room slamming the door behind her. She fell onto the bed weeping in humiliation.

A few minutes later she heard a knock and Rick stuck his head in the door. "Judy, can I come in?" he asked quietly. She nodded with her head still stuck in the pillow.

He sat on the bed beside her and rubbed her back. "Honey, I'm sorry. We weren't makin' fun of you. It's just with that locket on and the dress, you looked so much like your Mom it was spooky. You looked…you look beautiful baby. No one was laughin' at ya. I just, well I guess we forget that you're growin' up. You looked like a real lady standin' there. It was a surprise, a wonderful surprise. We all love you. You know that, don't ya? We wouldn't laugh at ya. Now come on and give your old Dad a hug, okay?"

Judith sat up and wiped her eyes. "Do I really look like her?" she asked as she settled against his chest.

"You do, baby. Your Mama was the prettiest girl I ever saw and you are every bit as pretty as she was. You know what, though, you're not just pretty. You're also smart and strong like she was. She'd be so proud of you," Rick told her, putting his arm around her. That one statement more than anything else that had happened on her birthday made her feel a little bit more grown up and a little bit more confident.

Carol was soon knocking and coming in to apologize along with everyone else. She forgave them all but shooed them all out of her room so she could change back into her regular clothes. She hung the dress carefully over a chair. As Beth said, you never know. She might need it one day.

She joined the others back downstairs where they were discussing an upcoming run. Carol was talking with Constance about what she needed for the baby. Everyone was back to their regular routine. Judith felt at ease again. She sat down next to Daryl and picked at a leftover pancake. He was sitting quietly watching everyone else as usual.

He turned and looked at her. "Hey short stuff," he said, "ya ain't got nothin' to be embarrassed about. Ya look good in that dress and you're a damn good shot too. That's a winnin' combination." She reached over and punched him in the arm. He rubbed his arm and frowned, "Hey, that hurt."

She shook her head slowly. "Damn, you're gettin' old Daryl Dixon," she teased.

"I can still outhunt and outtrack you, little girl," he replied seriously, "and don't forget it."

"For now," she told him with a mischievous gleam in her eye, "for now."

Carol began clearing the dishes and Judith stood up to help. Times like this didn't come along often. Judith stopped for a moment and looked around. Her whole family was here. They were safe, fed, healthy and happy for the moment. She reached up and placed her hand over the locket. A little piece of her Mom was here now too. This was the best birthday she could remember.


	2. Rick Remembers

Rick walked out of the building and back to a small area that he and Carl had fenced in. Not long after they'd found the place, they'd come across a mama goat and her two babies out near a burned out farm. How they'd managed to stay out of the reach of hungry walkers was a miracle. Rick figured there must have been someone caring for them earlier but there was no sign of anyone left alive at the farm.

They took the goats in and Maggie had taught them how to milk the nanny goat once her young were weaned. It gave them a supply of fresh milk which was a treat to say the least. He threw in some grass they'd cut yesterday and poured some water into their bucket. They'd been skittish at first but now would wander up for a pat when he came to feed them.

He still couldn't get over Judith in that dress. She was the image of Lori. He still missed his wife. On good nights he'd dream of her. She'd lay her cool hand against his cheek while he whispered his apology over and over. She'd lean in and kiss him whispering that it was okay, that he was a good man, a good father before she began to fade away. His last glimpse of her would be her smiling face.

After feeding the goats, he began his walk around the perimeter of the fence. It was a sturdy barrier, good protection. So far, he hadn't found a weak spot. If the walkers found them, starting piling up, it could still give. Anything would give under enough pressure. That was a lesson he'd learned the hardest way possible.

The good thing was that walkers didn't seem to be herding up as much as they once had. Maybe there were just fewer of them now. The walkers lasted a long time but eventually their flesh deteriorated to a point that they collapsed. Their brains turned to a liquid slime. It took a long time but it happened. They'd seen it.

There were pockets of survivors that they'd run across. Most were living day to day just like this group. Hunger and disease were the biggest problems that most people faced. If they managed to survive as his group had, they also had to worry about bandits and psychopaths. The governor had only been the beginning.

They'd lost Michonne in a battle with the group at Terminus. That had been a hard blow, especially for Carl. Tyrese had been taken out by a crazed sniper a year later in a little town near Macon where they were looking for supplies. Bob and Sasha had stayed with the group for several years. They'd gone out on a run and never returned. Rick and Daryl had searched for days but they never found a single trace other than signs of a scuffle on the side of the road.

Abraham and his group along with Tara had left right after they escaped from Terminus. They'd headed to Washington to complete their mission. Apparently the strange little man who supposedly knew how to fix everything and save the world hadn't succeeded. Maybe they never made it to their destination or maybe this whole mess was just unfixable.

Rick's hand had begun to ache again. He figured it was arthritis beginning to settle into his joints. His father had suffered with it starting around his early 50's. Rick was 54. He hadn't ever really counted on getting to be an old man. There still weren't any guarantees but he was getting up there. He smiled thinking one day he might be considered a wise old sage like Hershel had been. He just needed "a little piece of wheat in the corner of his mouth and a bigger ass," as his dear friend had once told him.

"What's so funny?" he heard Carl ask as they met near the front gate.

"Nothing, just remembering a joke," Rick answered.

"So, I was thinkin'," Carl said, "we still got some seeds from that farm we found last year. You think we could try and plant something that's fast growing, maybe some spinach or lettuce. We could have some fresh vegetables. What do you think?"

Rick hadn't wanted to settle long enough for them to farm for a long time. He didn't want to ever get complacent again but they needed this. All of them did. "Yeah, sounds good. Let's look for some tools, dig up that patch of ground near the back. It looks like a good spot."

Carl grinned back at his Dad. He was a grown man, nearly 30 himself, but sometimes he looked like that little boy with the freckles again. Rick reached over and put his hand on Carl's back. "Come on, son. We got work to do," he said.

Carol stood in the doorway watching them. She had hoped that Rick would finally let them settle down again. Maybe this would be it. She heard Daryl walking up behind her.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" he asked.

"Just Rick and Carl. It's nice here. Things are peaceful again," she told him.

He placed his hands on her hips and leaned to kiss her neck, "It's good for now. Just don't get too comfortable, baby. You know we don't ever get to stay for long," he whispered.

She leaned back against his chest, feeling the strength in his arms as they encircled her. "I know. I'm just hoping, Daryl. I'm hoping."

"I gotta go. Me, Glen and Maggie are goin' out. Be careful while we're gone," he told her.

"You be careful. Nine lives over here, remember?" she said before kissing him soundly on the lips.


	3. Nurse Carol

Carol never got used to the feeling of watching Daryl leave. She'd been doing it for nearly eighteen years now but she still always felt like she wanted to run after him and beg him to stay with her. If anyone could survive in this messed up world, it was Daryl Dixon. He'd proven that over and over again but she still worried. Losing people had become too commonplace. She'd learned to accept it. One thing she knew she could never accept, though, was losing Daryl, not after everything they'd been through.

She forced herself to turn away and not watch as the van pulled through the gate. There was plenty to do to keep her occupied until Daryl, Maggie and Glen returned. First thing she needed to do was check on Constance. The girl was past her due date if Carol's estimates were correct. The woman had been through hell with the pregnancy. She was malnourished and had a pretty seriously infected cut on her arm when they first appeared outside the gate. Carol had given her antibiotics and vitamins. They'd also made sure she got a larger share of protein than the others to help rebuild her strength. After a few weeks, she'd gained several pounds and the infection was gone but she still wasn't healthy by any means.

Constance was lying on a cot against the far wall staring intently at the ceiling. Len had gone out somewhere. He always seemed to be out somewhere except at meal time. Carol walked up and asked, "How are you feeling, today?"

Constance looked over and answered dejectedly, "Okay, I guess."

"Still feeling exhausted?" Carol asked. "And what about that cramping? Still having the pains?"

"Exhausted? Yeah. I feel like I barely have the strength to put one foot in front of the other. The cramping comes and goes. Len says it's false labor, like he knows anything about it," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Carol was worried. The girl looked like death. She was pale as a ghost with dark circles under her eyes. "I'll bring you some tea and some of those canned peaches you like. Maybe we can go outside for a while. Some fresh air might be nice," she offered.

Constance looked gratefully over at Carol. "Thank you. You've been so nice. I appreciate it more than you know," she told the older woman with tears starting to show in her eyes.

Carol leaned over and patted her hand, "Honey, don't worry. Everything is gonna work out. You'll see. Everybody worries with their first baby." She turned quickly and walked back toward the kitchen hoping that her lie had been convincing. She wasn't at all sure Constance or her baby was going to make it.

She fixed a tray and carried it over to Constance before heading outside to do some laundry. Beth was already at work and she could see Rick and Carl out in the field digging. "Hey," Beth said as she swiped a stray lock of hair off her face with a wet hand, "Everything okay?"

"I hope so," Carol said as she picked up a pair of Daryl's filthy jeans and started scrubbing. "Constance is not looking so good. I just hope that baby is born soon. Maybe she can get some of her strength back."

Beth looked up at her sadly, "Maybe the baby will make it this time. It'd be nice to have a little one around again." Beth had wanted a child for years. She and Carl had tried but for whatever reason, she'd never been able to get pregnant.

"It would be," Carol agreed with a smile. "You were always the best at soothing Judith when she was a baby. Remember how she'd beg you to sing to her at night when she was about 4 or 5? It was a challenge getting that girl old enough to take care of herself. It's amazing really that she survived everything that's happened, but if one can survive then others will."

Both women went back to their scrubbing. Quiet times like this, even with having to scrub laundry, were luxuries that neither of them took for granted. Carol looked around at the open space that they could feel safe in. Even getting the opportunity to wash clothes was something that they couldn't always count on. She remembered periods of time when they would throw away filthy clothes and replace them with whatever they could find. Those were the bad times when they were running from place to place with no security, no food, only their wits and each other to keep everyone safe.

Right after she and Tyrese helped everyone escape from Terminus had been one of those really bad times. They'd lost MIchonne and all their supplies. Rick had hidden a few guns but almost no ammo. They scavenged for months like starving dogs all through that Fall and Winter until they'd found an auto repair shop with a sturdy fence around it. It had been their home for months.

Judith had gotten so sick during that winter. Carol was sure they were going to lose her. She'd developed pneumonia. They tried 2 or 3 different kinds of medicine before they found one that worked. It was during those long, sleepless nights watching after Judith that she and Daryl had finally come to terms with their feelings for each other.

Daryl had been angry with her at first. Rick had told him about Karen and David. By that point, she'd been through too much to try and explain anything to him. She just admitted what she'd done when he asked. His reaction was typical Daryl, "What the hell were you thinkin?"

She could only reply, "I was thinking that I might save lives, Daryl. Judith, Mika, Lizzie, you. I was thinking about the people I loved."

He wouldn't speak to her or even look at her for weeks. Carol wasn't sure what happened but apparently Tyrese spoke to him at some point, told him about what happened with the girls, about her confession and his forgiveness. He came and sat beside her one night and spoke to her again, "What you did, I don't think that was your call, but what you had to go through with those girls, that wasn't right neither. I reckon you did what you had to do. Ain't none of us got clean hands no more. Best we can do is survive. If Tyrese can forgive you, I sure as hell ain't got a right to judge." He didn't wait for a response after he'd said his piece but just stood up and walked away.

After that, he'd become more like his old self. They'd tease back and forth but never more than just friendly until late one night while Judith was struggling for breath and running a raging fever. Rick had been up with her for two days straight until he basically collapsed. She'd taken over from him walking with her and patting her back.

Daryl had been sitting against the wall pretending to sleep while she paced continuously back and forth with the child in her arms. She knew that he wasn't sleeping. She could see the worry in his face. He wanted to be able to do something, to go out and get medicine that would make her well again. Sitting and waiting was not one of his strengths. She finally walked over to where he sat and whispered, "Daryl, will you take her for a minute? My arm is cramping."

He jumped up quickly and scooped Judith out of her arms. He immediately began the same walking and patting pattern that she had been using. She sat with her back against the wall and watched him for a few minutes. She realized that having that purpose was a relief for him and he was so good with the baby. He would have been the best dad, she thought to herself just before drifting off to sleep.

A few minutes later she jolted awake as she began to slump forward. She jumped up, ashamed of herself for her weakness. Daryl was still walking. She could hear him whispering softly to Judith as well. "This ain't nothin', baby girl. You can beat this thing. I know you can. You're tough. Why do you think I call you Little Asskicker? Come on, fight sweetpea. You can do it," he told her. The strange thing was that Judith was the calmest she had been all night. She wasn't fretting or crying but simply laying against Daryl's shoulder and looking at him with the most serious of expressions. She was listening to him, Carol realized, intently listenting. It brought tears to her eyes, watching the love between the two of them. In that moment, she realized that she was hopelessly in love with the surly redneck standing in front of her and she wasn't going to hide it anymore, not from him or from herself.

She walked over to where he stood and gently placed a hand on his back. "Go on back to sleep. I got this," he whispered as he turned toward her. She stood on tiptoe and leaned over, giving him a gentle kiss against the side of his mouth. He looked shocked but he didn't pull back. "What are you doin', woman?" he asked as she stood back.

"I love you, Daryl Dixon. You're the kindest, gentlest, most caring man I've ever known. I don't care if you never say it back but I'm saying it and I mean it. I love you," she told him matter of factly as she reached for the baby. He stood staring at her for a moment rather like a deer caught in headlights. She took Judith and began to sway back and forth with her. "Daryl, you don't have to say anything. You can just go and get some rest," she finally said before starting to turn away. Then she felt his hand on her arm.

"I know I ain't gotta say nothin'. I want to," he said haltingly before stopping to take a deep breath. "I…..I love you too Carol. I have for a long time." Then he did something she'd never expected. He pulled her and the baby close to him and he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. It was awkward, as most first kisses are, but it was all she'd ever needed. It sealed the deal for them both and they'd been together ever since. The memory of that moment made her smile wistfully.

"I bet I know who you're thinkin' about," Beth teased her. Both women smiled.

"Yeah and I've seen you watching Carl over there working with his shirt off, too, young lady," Carol scolded. Beth blushed a little.

"I guess we both just have dirty minds," Beth acknowledged before they got back to their chores.


	4. Carl loves Beth

Carl worked alongside his father. He had a pickaxe that he was using to break up the sod and Rick had a hoe working behind him to loosen the soil. Hopefully they'd have a few rows in place by late afternoon and they could try planting a few seeds. It had been years since they'd stayed in one place long enough to have a garden. Maybe this would be a place they could call home for a while. It's what he wanted but not for himself as much as for Beth. He looked across the yard to where she sat washing clothes with Carol and she looked up at him, smiled and waved. She was what mattered to him now, keeping her safe and making her happy.

He'd been a little boy when he'd first met her. Sure, she wasn't much older, but when you're 12 and the girl you like is 16 that seems like a lot more than four years. She hadn't noticed him as anything other than that little kid Carl. Even as the years went by and he caught up to his Dad in height and his voice deepened, she still didn't really see him. Then they all got separated after the Governor attacked the prison.

Daryl had told them all the story of how he and Beth escaped and survived together until she was taken by someone in a black car with a cross in the back window. It turned out that while they were all making their way to Terminus where they'd have to fight for their lives, she had been taken prisoner by a brutally violent group. She fought them but in the end, they'd hurt her, used her.

The rest of the group ran across the camp where she was held by sheer chance. By the time they found her, she'd been a prisoner for close to a year. They helped her escape and kept her safe but it had taken almost another year for her to act like Beth again. She still woke with nightmares sometimes and was terrified of being left alone. It made Carl's blood boil to even think of what had happened to her. He wished he could find them again and make them pay. He'd told Michonne once that he was really just a monster on the inside. He'd like a chance alone with the ones who hurt his Beth so he could show them just what that meant.

From the time they rescued her, Carl became her protector. He stayed with her all the time and took care of her as much as he could. He promised her that he'd never let anyone hurt her again. Everyone thought it was cute that he had a crush on Beth but he knew the truth. He loved her. He had loved her since he was twelve. He didn't care if she loved him back or not. He just wanted to keep her safe.

Through all their travels, he was by her side. As he entered his early twenties and took on more of a leadership role in the group, he noticed that Beth began to look at him differently. They'd become best friends over the years but there was something different about the way she joked with him and hugged him. He'd catch her watching him sometimes and then she'd smile and look away. He kept hoping that she would say or do something to let him know that her feelings had changed but it never happened.

In the summer before his 23rd birthday, they came across another group of survivors who'd set up camp near a quarry similar to the one where he, his mom and Shane had been with the original group. The "family" at the quarry consisted of two couples and a girl who was close to his own age. Her name was Lilah. She was a tomboy but still a beautiful girl, not in Beth's league but definitely not hard to look at.

They'd stayed at the quarry a few days and in an attempt to help out, he decided to go fishing, maybe catch a few bream for dinner. He'd been sitting on the bank for about an hour when he noticed Lilah walk down to the edge about ten feet away from him. She quickly stripped down to her panties and bra and jumped into the clear blue water. She swam closer to him and stopped. Her skin was shimmering with water droplets and he could make out the blush of her nipples through her sheer bra just under the surface. His body began reacting instantly.

"Why don't you come on in here with me and cool off?" she asked as he tried to adjust his seat to avoid embarrassing himself.

He wanted to. "I, um, I don't think I can right now. I'm trying to catch something for dinner," he replied nervously.

"You jump in here and I can guarantee you'll catch something," she teased with a hint of a smile. He just stood looking at her with no idea of what to do next. She gave an exasperated sigh and told him, "Look, I figure you're a virgin. So am I. It's not like we got a lot of opportunities these days. I don't know how long you're gonna be hangin' around so I'd like to see what it's like. I'm sayin' I'd like to have sex with you. So, if you're interested, drop the jeans and get in the water.

Carl was shocked but he also happened to have a massive hard-on to contend with. He'd imagined what it would be like to be with a woman so many times but he'd always imagined it would be Beth. What if Beth wasn't interested? He had a beautiful woman in front of him who was offering herself to him. Did he dare to pass up the opportunity just in case Beth might want him one day? His heart was saying one thing but other parts of his anatomy were urging him to go for it. He stood and began to unbutton his jeans when he heard a rustling noise behind him.

"Carl Grimes, don't you dare," Beth yelled, "Don't you dare!" She was furious. Her face was flushed and she was shaking. She pointed a finger at Lilah like she was a naughty schoolgirl and yelled, "And you, whoever you are, you should be ashamed! Carl doesn't love you. He loves me. If anyone is going to be with him, it's me. You got that? Now…get out of here. Get your clothes on." Lilah quickly turned and swam away leaving him alone with a very angry Beth.

He turned to face her, fastening his jeans in the process. "Beth, I..I'm sorry. I didn't know you were there. I didn't mean to upset you," he told her.

"What? So if I wasn't here then it would be okay to just, I don't know, just go with that girl? Carl, I thought you were different. I thought….oh God, I don't know.." she said before turning her back and starting to cry softly.

"Beth, look, I love you. I think I always have. But I'm a grown man now. You don't seem to get that. I don't want to just be your little friend for the rest of my life. I've never…I've never been with a woman. I'd like to know what that feels like. I'd like to feel like a man," he admitted to her as he placed his hands on her shoulders, rubbing gently.

She turned around to face him and their positions left her standing in his arms. She placed her hand against his chest. "I know you're a man. Don't you think I have those feelings, too? I'm just …I'm scared, Carl. What if you don't want me after you see all my scars? I'm not a virgin. They made me do things. I don't want you to settle for less than you deserve. I do love you, though, more than I've ever loved anyone."

They were so close. He could never remember standing this close to her before. He leaned down and quickly kissed her. She didn't flinch or pull away so he moved more slowly and found her lips again. This time she moved her hand to this back of his neck and kissed him back, opening her mouth slightly as his tongue sought hers. They continued kissing and somehow slowly sank into the tall grass near the water's edge. For the next hour, there was no one else in the world except him and Beth.

That was the beginning. Everyone had seemed to take their being together as inevitable. Carl was proud to call her his girlfriend and she seemed to like it pretty well too. About a year later, he'd found a ring in a pawn shop. It was an antique silver ring with a tiny diamond. It reminded him of her so he took it. One night as they lay in their tent listening to the cicadas, he gave it to her and she took it with tears in her eyes. Since then, he'd called her his wife.

She wanted to have babies. She told him she'd like at least three but he'd have been happy with just one. They figured it would be a simple thing for her to get pregnant. That's how it was supposed to be. Bob was still with them then. He didn't know a lot about obstetrics but he told Carl that she might have been injured while she was held captive. She wouldn't talk about it but from the things she said during her nightmares, Carl wondered if she might have gotten pregnant by one of her abusers and been forced to terminate the pregnancy.

It had been difficult for Beth to accept that she would probably never have children. When Maggie got pregnant, it was like a blessing and a curse. Beth was thrilled at the idea of a niece or nephew but it broke her heart to watch Maggie going through everything that she wanted so badly. After Glen and Maggie's little boy died, Beth was almost inconsolable. Carl tried hard to find ways to make her happy despite her continued longing for a baby.

This place they were in now was the first place that made them feel like they had at the prison. Carl had been making plans almost since they'd found it. He wanted to make a room for Beth, like a real bedroom with curtains on the window and a big comfy bed for them. Maybe he could find some other do-dads that she'd like to frilly it up. She always talked about how much she loved having her own room at the prison. Now they could have their own room and one day, God willing, they could put a little crib in one corner to hold the child they might have.

She was laughing and talking with Carol now. Her smile was like sunshine breaking through the clouds. He wanted this for her, for them. It must have been how his Dad had felt all those years ago when they'd found the prison. It was a chance, a hope for the future. It could work. It had to work. He looked over at his father. Rick stood looking at him and smiling like he understood what was going through his son's mind.

"She's a good woman, son. You want to make a home for her here, don't you?" Rick asked him.

Carl looked back toward Beth, "Yeah, Dad. Yeah, I do. I want to make a safe place for her. I want her to be happy."

"I get that, more than you know. I want you to be happy, you, Judy, Beth, all of us. We can try to live here. We can try to build somethin' but we can never get complacent. You hear me? If you want to keep her safe, you stay on guard. Carol told me once that you can be a farmer but you can't be JUST a farmer. I didn't want to listen then but it's the truth. I learned the hard way," Rick cautioned.

Carl listened to his father and then looked around at the fence and the yard that surrounded them. "I know. I understand what you're sayin'. I just want to try, for her," he said as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

Rick reached over and patted Carl's shoulder. "Well, I guess we better get busy then," he said with a smile. "Come on, we got farming to do."


	5. Maggie

JUST A WARNING – THIS CHAPTER IS PRETTY DARK AND INCLUDES DETAILS ABOUT THE DEATH OF A PREMATURE BABY SO PLEASE DON'T READ IF IT'S A SUBJECT THAT'S TOO UPSETTING FOR YOU. I tried to make it realistic without being too morbid.

Maggie was sitting in the backseat of the van listening to Glen and Daryl discuss strategy for scavenging the shopping center they were headed to. They'd done this so many times it could easily have become routine. They could never let their guard down, though. One moment of carelessness could not only cost your life but everyone else's in the group as well.

She stared out the window to the left. The kudzu vines almost completely covered the road in spots. It wouldn't be long before they'd be down to only riding horses to get around. It was like time was rewinding, taking them slowly but inexorably back to what the world had been like 200 years ago. What would it all look like by the time Judith was their age?

"You okay back there? You're awful quiet," Glen asked as he half turned to look at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she told him, reaching to touch the silver that had just begun to show at his temple. He was so different from the boy she'd first met on her Daddy's farm years ago but that sweet boy was still there in his eyes. He had become a leader, strong, brave and decisive. He was still as kind as caring as he'd always been but the years had hardened him as it had for them all. There was pain in those eyes as well. It never went away. They'd lost too much. He reached up and took her hand, bringing it to his lips before letting go.

"God, I gotta put up with a bunch of romance novel shit today?" Daryl asked as he glanced at them.

"As I recall, Daryl Dixon, you and Carol were giving us all some PDA earlier so shut your trap," she told him. They bickered back and forth like brother and sister but both knew, as everyone in the group did, that any of them would lay down their lives for each other without question.

Over the past few days, Maggie hadn't really felt like herself. Maybe it was having Constance with them now. Her pregnancy was a reminder of what they'd lost. She could still remember every perfect little finger and toe on her baby boy, Stephen Hershel. His hair was jet black like Glen's but he'd had her pouty mouth. Why had God given him to them if he was going to take him again so quickly? She had kept those feelings locked away until the reality of another baby being born was staring her in the face.

Hershel had always taught his girls to hold onto hope and faith. He believed that without hope, life wasn't worth living. Maggie had always done her best to live up to that for his sake and for Beth's. After all Beth went through with the bastards that took her, she needed someone to remind her to keep her head up and keep pushing forward.

The one time in her life that nearly caused Maggie to lose that outlook was when they'd lost the baby. Glen had been the worrywart from even before she got pregnant. They'd had several long discussions about whether having a baby was the right choice.

At that point in time they were staying in a small shopping mall. The department store where they'd set up camp had roll down gates at every entrance and there was roof access so that they could keep an eye on the walker build up without being in danger. It seemed like a perfect setup, a good place to be pregnant and give birth. She convinced Glen that they were ready. They could handle it together.

The security had lasted into her fourth month of pregnancy. That's when an outlaw gang found the mall and them. The other group was heavily armed and they wanted the mall. Their group didn't have the numbers or the ammo to fight. They'd slipped away late one night with what they could carry and gone on the run again.

Maggie still tried not to worry. Lori had made it through virtually her entire pregnancy on the move, but It was much harder than Maggie could have imagined. She found a new respect for Lori who had gone through it all with barely a complaint. Maggie quickly became exhausted by their constant running from place to place with walkers behind them at every turn. They never had enough food or time to rest.

By the time she was about seven months along, she'd started having cramping and occasional bleeding. She convinced herself that it was malnutrition and started taking more prenatal vitamins even though they were long expired. It didn't help.

Somewhere near 30 weeks, she went into labor. At that point, they were living in the old freezer at a Wendy's near Newnan. It wasn't safe. It wasn't even clean, but they didn't have a choice. Her labor lasted all day and all night. She was bleeding pretty heavily by the time baby Stephen made his appearance. He was tiny, maybe 3 pounds at the most, but he looked perfect. She thought they'd make it.

Glen was amazed by their baby. He held him and just stared for the longest time, but he was also frightened for them both. She was in bad shape after the birth. Bob and Carol were doing everything they could but without the proper equipment and medications, there weren't a lot of options.

The little one struggled to breathe through the next day. They could never get him to nurse or take a bottle. His breathing grew slower until it finally stopped. As he took his last breath, Maggie felt like she couldn't breathe. She just wanted to die with him. She begged them to let her go. Glen held onto her and kept her from giving up.

They wrapped him in a soft blue blanket and buried him under a magnolia tree. As much as she wanted to just sit there beside the grave and never move again, Maggie got up. They kept moving. She cried every night, sometimes in Beth's arms and sometimes in Glen's. She cried until there were no more tears inside her. Then she tried to put it away.

For the most part, she succeeded. She became a fighter again, a leader. She didn't talk about their son very often. It hurt too much. She figured their group was done with babies. Then Constance had shown up.

The new girl wasn't healthy. She had made it nearly to term, though but there were still too many things that could go wrong. The chances of her baby surviving were low, but at least she had a chance. Maggie knew she should think positively, be friendly towards the newcomers, but it was too much of a risk. She didn't want to have to deal with a stranger's labor and delivery or a stranger's baby. She didn't want to have to watch another baby die. Life was hard enough.

The van came to a stop. Glen turned back and asked again, "You sure you're okay? You can stay here if you're not feeling up to this."

"I told you. I'm fine. You're not getting rid of me that easy," she told him with a smile.

"Good, cause you know I don't trust Daryl with that bow anymore since he started wearing reading glasses," Glen replied. They both laughed when Daryl stopped and turned showing them two extended middle fingers. She turned and exited the car, taking her place beside the two men. It was time to get to work. They all had jobs to do.


	6. Daryl

In the world before the turn, Daryl Dixon was not a man people respected or cared for very much. He was most often to be found either getting drunk with his equally no account brother, getting into fights related to his drunkenness or his brother's big mouth, or, when he got sick of dealing with his brother, hightailing it to the woods to do a little hunting.

Back in those days, Daryl figured he'd follow in Merle's footsteps. He'd maybe get a job at a motorcycle repair shop, have his own trailer and if he was lucky, stay out of jail. Dreaming about the future wasn't much of an option for people like him and Merle. If there were blue ribbons for shittiest childhood, they could have shared the prize. Living through that left them both with a 'survive at all costs' mentality. It hadn't been much use in civilized society but it had served him well after the shit hit the fan.

When the whole walker mess started, Daryl and Merle decided to take to the woods. They stayed at a friend's old hunting shack for weeks. They would have stayed longer except Merle smoked his entire stash so they had to go home and restock. What they found was beyond even the craziest horror movie. No one was left alive in their trailer park and the fucked up biters were everywhere. They grabbed a few supplies and skipped out again but Merle made a few stops to get his 'medication' before they left.

Several weeks later, they ran into the group at the quarry. Daryl figured they'd just keep going but Merle saw it as a golden opportunity. He figured they could rob the group of their supplies and maybe take the old man's camper. Somehow though, Merle's plan never did work out. The one thing Daryl never figured on was that the group they planned on robbing would end up being his salvation.

Now, here he sat, eighteen years since the quarry, and he was a member of a family that respected him, trusted him and loved him. The best people he'd ever known called him a friend and a brother. The kindest, strongest woman he'd ever met was the love of his life and shared his bed at night. He helped raise L'il Asskicker and she'd just had her sixteenth birthday. How in the hell did a trailer trash redneck like himself ever manage to get to this point?

He especially marveled at how he had gotten lucky enough to have woman like Carol. In his old life, he hadn't exactly attracted the best in female companionship. Of course, Merle tended to scare away most women after he had his fun with them. Daryl hadn't ever really had what you'd call a girlfriend. He had booty calls mostly whenever he wanted but that was as far as it went. He'd actually been intimidated by Carol's interest in him at first. He didn't understand it and didn't know what to do with it. Hell, he'd probably still be shuffling and muttering around her if she hadn't confronted him about her feelings all those years ago. As rough around the edges as he was, they'd made it work. They'd been together through thick and thin for fifteen years.

Being with Carol and the rest of this group had kept him sane and relatively civilized. Somehow they'd survived while the world went to shit. It hadn't been smooth sailing by any means. He had to watch a lot of good people die, sometimes in the most horrible ways. Hell, he had to take out his own brother after he turned. They'd all spent the majority of their lives running and hiding or fighting.

He could remember Beth saying one time that he was made for a world like this, that at the end of it all, he'd be the last man standing. He sure as hell hoped she was wrong. Being alone wasn't something he was good at anymore. He'd gone soft, as Merle would say. He liked having people to talk to, to laugh with and to cry with if necessary. He liked having Carol next to him every night.

Stuff and things had all been running smoothly with their group lately. Since they'd found their latest camp, everyone seemed to be unclenching their jaws for the first time in years. Even Rick was sleeping a few hours at night before getting up to do a fence patrol. It felt good, like they'd all felt when they took the prison. It was a chance for peace, for a future.

He'd already heard Carl and Beth talking about starting a garden. Carol wanted to start gathering herbs and supplies for a makeshift clinic. Would it be possible? The place was big enough. The fences were strong. It could work, but they'd believed that back at the prison too and look where they'd ended up. Maybe if they could start taking other survivors in again, rebuild their community, they would have the numbers to make it work. Len and Constance seemed to be fitting in okay even with her being about to pop a kid out any second.

He needed to talk to Rick, see what his feelings were. If they were gonna stay, they needed to start fortifying the fences, especially the gates. He could work with Carol and Beth to set up a proper kitchen where they could can fruits and vegetables for the winter. Maybe they could even build some cots to sleep on instead of those damned concrete floors that were the devil on his back. He realized he was thinking of making a home again. It felt good but it also scared him just a little. They couldn't get too comfortable, not ever again.

Daryl realized he'd been wool gathering for half an hour or more when he saw the derelict shopping center just up ahead. They probably wouldn't find much that would be of any use. After so many years, the supplies left on shelves had either expired or spoiled, even the canned stuff was iffy. Sometimes they lucked out and found freeze dried items. He preferred hunting fresh meat and eating the vegetables and fruits they could find growing wild. This time, though, they were mostly after baby stuff, clothes, blankets, cloth diapers, bottles with the silicon nipples. There wouldn't be formula runs like they'd had with Judy. Baby formula was a thing of the past like so many other conveniences people had to learn to live without.

Their sweep of the stores didn't take long. Maggie found a couple of tiny shirts and a pack of cloth diapers along with two clear plastic baby bottles. At least it was something. He could tell it bothered her having to hunt for baby things. She didn't talk about the little boy that she and Glen had lost but he knew she carried that pain always. She didn't cry or whine, though. She was tough like Carol. She did what needed to be done.

They all got back into the van which had been rigged to charge off solar panels by someone a hell of a lot smarter than Daryl Dixon. They'd found it at the National Guard base. It wasn't anything to look at but it ran good and, seeing as how gas was practically nonexistent these days, it certainly came in handy for supply runs.

No one was saying much today so he popped an old cassette tape into the player on the console. Lynrd Skynrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama' began playing. The music, the warm sunshine and the breeze from the window made him feel like a teenager again for a moment. Maggie even began singing along. They were all jamming when Daryl suddenly made a quick stop with no warning. He had spied a patch of plants with dark green leaves near the side of the road. He grabbed his knife and flung open the door. Maggie leaned forward. "I don't see any walkers or anything else. What the heck are you doin', Daryl? " she asked scanning the tree line for threats.

"That's poke salad. Imma cut some of them greens so Carol can cook 'em up with some a that pork fat. It'll be good eatin' tonight," he told them as he got out of the car and walked over to chop some of the leaves.

One thing about living in a post-apocalyptic world was that you didn't take things for granted. Something as simple as fresh greens for dinner was a windfall. You learned to appreciate the good things because nothing was guaranteed anymore, not food, shelter, or the safety of your loved ones. You never knew what tomorrow would bring, but Daryl was grateful for what he had today. Carol was waiting at home for him along with good friends. They'd have plenty to eat tonight. They had a roof over their heads and a safe place to sleep. All things considered, this old redneck had a pretty good day today, a pretty damn good day.


	7. Glen

Beth finished doing the laundry with Carol and they hung it out to dry along a line that Carl had put up for them. By tonight they'd have clean fresh smelling clothes. It always made her feel better when they could get cleaned up.

After the laundry, she walked out to help Carl and Rick with their garden plot. She and Carl had talked about it for days. She could just imagine that back field full of corn stalks and cucumber vines, maybe even some sunflowers.

Even imagining it made her think of the farm. She'd spent every summer of her first 17 years in the gardens surrounding their home back on her Daddy's farm. Her family would sit on the screened porch until late at night talking and telling stories as they all shelled peas or snapped beans for her Mama to freeze or can. Sometimes her Daddy would tell ghost stories that would keep her and Maggie awake and trying to scare each other half the night. Even when she was a teenager she'd wanted that kind of life for her children one day. She had hoped to make those kinds of memories for another generation but that was not to be.

Something that Andrea told her right after the incident at their barn always stuck with Beth. She'd said, "The pain doesn't go away. You just make room for it." That was the best way to describe her life since they'd been forced off the farm. The pain of everything that she'd lost was always there but for the most part she kept it tucked away in a separate pocket of her heart. Sometimes it overflowed, but for the most part she found a way to live and be happy again.

For a while, after she was taken prisoner, she gave up on ever feeling anything but fear and pain again. She couldn't believe that people could be so cruel. They did things to her that still haunted her dreams after more than fifteen years. Being rescued by her family had been a miracle but it was Carl who finally helped her come back to life.

He'd always been like a puppy dog following her around after they'd left the farm. She thought he was sweet. In the long days and nights after they found her, he became her constant shadow. He was there when she needed him, always ready to defend and protect her. She learned to trust again because of his patience and kindness. He became her best friend and then, as they both matured, the friendship became something more. She loved him more than she thought would ever be possible after the abuse she suffered.

Because of Carl and the rest of her new family, she'd learned to have hope again. Even through all the running and hiding and fighting for survival, she made herself believe that they were working toward something better. That, one day, they'd find a safe place again, somewhere they could make a home. It was hard to keep that dream alive for so long with no end in sight. Then they'd found this place.

The first time she saw the big cinderblock buildings and the tall razor wire topped fences , it brought back memories of the prison. There were no walkers inside the fences this time so they didn't have to fight. It was obvious that someone had used the place as a camp for a while. Whoever it was had left long ago. There were no signs of a battle or violence of any kind so whoever left must have done so by choice.

Whether it was her longing for a place to settle or the resemblance to the last place they'd called home, this place felt right. It was secure and peaceful. They had ample space. It could work. They could choose to stop running and stay here. There were no guarantees, not for anything in this world, but it was a chance. That's all Beth needed.

She and Carl talked every night as they lay on their makeshift pallet of old quilts. She told him that she wanted to plant a garden. He was skeptical at first, said they'd never stay long enough to harvest anything. She could tell, though, that he liked the idea. He wanted it too.

A few nights later he told her he'd talk to his father. If they could convince Rick, it would be easy to get everyone else on board. She knew Carol was already on her side which meant Daryl would be as well.

Beth couldn't help but excited at the prospect of building a home again. She still dreamed of having a child with Carl even though she knew that probably wasn't in the cards. There was no way that this was going to be the perfect happy ending that she'd fantasized about in her childhood but they could still be happy.

Work never ceased these days so she was soon back inside working on putting together something for dinner. They had a few potatoes that Rick and Carl had found growing behind a house when they went on a supply run. She could cook those with some of the rabbit Daryl had got early this morning and a few wild onions. They had a few more jars of peaches that they could open if they needed to but Beth and Carol had decided to try and save those for Constance. It was one of the few things the woman would eat.

She took the rabbits outside and skinned them and then made quick work of chopping them up for the stew pot and then headed back inside to their makeshift kitchen and eating area. Len was standing near the door when she entered.

"Hey, Len. Everything okay? You need somethin'?" she asked.

He looked nervous and sweaty. "Yeah, it's Constance. I think, maybe it's time. I think the baby's comin'," he told her.

A wave of panic hit Beth but she gathered her wits quickly. She'd learned how to handle herself over the years. "Okay, let me get Carol and we'll be right over. Just go wait with Constance," she told him.

Beth put her kitchen work aside and headed outside to find Carol. They'd both been worried sick about Constance. She was so frail. Beth said a quick prayer for the girl and her unborn baby and she raced across the yard yelling for Carol.

Carl and Rick heard the commotion and dropped their tools to see what Beth was yelling about. As soon as they heard, they told her to go back in and they'd find Carol. Beth turned to go but Carl grabbed her arm. "You okay?" he asked. She nodded and leaned in to quickly kiss his cheek. "Yeah, I'm good," she said before turning back toward the main building.

She could hear Constance crying before she reached her cot. Len was sitting beside her, holding her hand and trying to reassure her.

Beth walked over and reached out to touch her cheek, " It's okay, Constance. We're all here to help." She tried to sound reassuring but she was alarmed by how warm Constance felt. She was definitely running a fever.

"Len, can you go over and get a bowl with some water and a couple of hand towels, please. We're gonna need them," she asked Len. She wanted to keep him occupied if she could. If he got upset, it would only cause more trouble. As he walked away, she took his spot on the mattress.

"Are the contractions coming close together?" she asked.

Constance was pale as a ghost. "It's not contractions. It's like a continuous pain. I don't know what's wrong. God, it just hurts so much."

Beth put her hand on the woman's bulging belly. It felt hard as a rock. This wasn't normal. She didn't know what to do. Carol ran over just at that moment. "So, labor going okay?" she asked but before the sentence was out of her mouth she could tell by the look on Beth's face that something was wrong.

Carol reached over and laid her hand next to Beth's. This wasn't good. She looked back at Beth and was about to say something when Len walked back over with the water and towels.

"Is….is she gone be alright?" he asked shakily.

"We're gonna do everything we can, Len. Just, why don't you…, " she couldn't think of what to say. She didn't want him to be standing there while they tried to figure out what was wrong. Carl quickly stepped forward.

"Hey, why don't you come outside with me and Dad? They've got a lot of stuff to do before the baby gets here. We can get some fresh air," he said as he pulled the man by the arm.

"That's right," Carol told him, "You go on with Carl. We'll call you when it's time."

As soon as he was out of sight, Carl pulled back the sheet that was covering Constance. A pool of blood had collected between her thighs. "I think she's had a hemorrhage inside her uterus. Maybe the placenta detached. That's why her stomach is so hard. Neither one of them is gonna make it if we don't do a c-section," Carol told Beth quietly.

Beth looked back at her in shock. "We can't. She won't survive," Beth whispered urgently.

Constance opened her eyes a bit. "I know what's happening. I heard you. I want you to save my baby. I don't care about anything else. Just save the baby. Please. That's all that matters," she begged them.

Carol reached up and cupped Constance's cheeks in her hands. "I promise you I'll do what I can," she told her with tears in her eyes. Constance smiled weakly and whispered, "Thank you."

Neither of them had even seen a c-section done before. Carol had practiced once on a cadaver back before Judith was born. She didn't really remember the details of what Hershel had tried to teach her. This was going to be the blind leading the blind if they attempted it and they had to for the baby to have a chance.

Judith had been standing quietly to the side watching with grim determination. She was ready to offer any help needed. Carol and Beth began gathering supplies. They would have to move fast. As they both scrubbed their hands thoroughly, they heard the beep of a car horn.

"It's Daryl, Glen and Maggie. They're back," Carol said.

"I'll go," Judith quickly volunteered.

The two women looked at each other. They'd been through a lot together but never anything like this. They walked back over toward the cot and saw that Constance was awake again.

"I don't know how much longer I can hold on," she whispered to Carol. "Don't let me turn and hurt the baby. Don't let me turn. Please hurry."

Carol felt the woman's pulse. It was slow and thready. They didn't have long. "Come on, Beth. We've got to get this done," Carol said as she picked up the sharpest knife they had and placed it against the belly of the pregnant woman.


	8. Beth

Glen kept a close eye on Maggie during the day as they scavenged the old shopping center. She'd started pulling away from him again, getting quiet. He knew what was causing her to become depressed. It was the pregnant girl.

When the couple first showed up at the gate and they realized Constance was pregnant, it had visibly affected Maggie. She looked at the girl and saw herself from a few years ago. Maggie tried to cover her distress with staying busy or with bluster but at night she pressed her face into his chest and cried. He didn't try to stop her. He just held her and let her grieve.

Sometimes as they lay there at night, he'd remember the first time he saw Maggie Greene. She rode in on a horse, swinging a baseball bat like Xena, the Warrior Princess. He'd been left in open mouthed awe at her beauty and confidence. The very idea that someone like her would ever even consider being with a guy like him would have been laughable if anyone had suggested it, except that the person who suggested it was Maggie herself.

The memory of that day at the pharmacy always brought a smile to his face. He'd been the definition of an awkward nerd but it hadn't even made her blink. He couldn't keep his eyes closed when she kissed him because he wanted to make sure it was all real. He didn't want to stop looking at her for even a second. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

Now, all these years later, she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She still had the confidence of a warrior. The thing that had changed was the sparkle in her eyes. Something had gone out within her when their son died. He didn't think that anything could ever bring that light back again but he tried every day to just make her smile.

He still felt the hollow aching wound left behind when little Stephen died . All through Maggie's pregnancy, he tried to prepare himself for the worst. Childbirth and babies were never easy but in a world filled with hungry walking corpses, the odds were even more stacked against you. Judith had survived despite every bad thing they encountered. If she made it then surely there were others who found a way. He just wished with all his heart that Stephen could have survived.

Glen would sometimes imagine what his son would look like. He would be nearly 10 years old now. Would he be a goofy kid like Glen had been at that age or strong and athletic like his Mom? He tried to picture that little face he'd seen for only one day. It had been the most awe inspiring and humbling moment of his life to hold his child, a human being that he and Maggie had created together.

He watched her quickly sort through the dust covered stacks of baby clothes and blankets. Many were rotted or covered in mildew. One back counter contained a large rat's nest where it appeared generations of rodents had been spawned.

One bin contained a few tiny t-shirts still in their plastic wrapping. They looked a little faded but still usable. Thankfully the plastic baby bottles with silicon nipples were all still good. She grabbed a few of those. He was proud of her for being willing to do this for Constance even though it wasn't easy. Maybe having another baby around would help her to heal. He only hoped it wouldn't make things harder.

They finished up their shopping trip and headed back to the car. There weren't many walkers around this area. They had only seen 4 or 5 all day. All of them had been in the last stages of walker life. Glen wondered if there would ever come a day when there were no more walkers. They'd still have to put a knife through the skull of anyone who died. That probably would never change. But maybe one day they wouldn't have to live behind high fences and walk around carrying weapons. Walker attacks might become rare occurrences like wild animal attacks. It would be cool to live long enough to see that day arrive.

When Daryl stopped the car to gather his poke salad, Glen turned and spoke to Maggie who was still sitting much too quietly in the back seat and staring out the side window.

"Hey, I know this was hard for you. Constance is going to be really happy with this stuff, though. You're doing a good thing by helping her," Glen said.

Maggie turned to face him, "I haven't been very nice to her, Glen. I've avoided her. I don't want to get to know her and then watch her lose her baby like we did. It's just too hard. It's hard for Beth, too, but she's been helping and being friendly with Constance. I feel bad about being so cold with her. This was something that I could do to help. "

Glen reached back and took her hand. "You're doing fine, Maggie. You don't always have to be strong about everything. It's okay. I hope this baby will be okay, maybe it will. Having a baby around again might be nice. Remember how we had to chase around after Judy when she first started walking?"

Maggie smiled finally, "Yeah, and remember how she would laugh when we played peekaboo? Gosh, I can't believe that she's already so grown up. We were all her parents in a way. We all helped raise her. It's making me feel old all of a sudden."

Glen pulled her hand up and kissed it, "You, Maggie Greene, will never be old. You will become a rare and perfect vintage with age."

"Now that was some serious romance novel shit," Maggie told him laughingly. "I'm glad Daryl wasn't in here to witness it. He might have hurled."

They were both laughing when Daryl climbed back behind the wheel clutching an armful of waxy green leaves. "What the hell's so funny?" he asked looking back and forth between them.

"Just hand me those leaves," Maggie told him, "and let's get going. This better not be something that's going to make me break out in hives or anything either."

"Damn, girl," he told her, "that's a delicacy right there. Y'all are in for a treat."

They continued driving along the road listening to Sweet Home Alabama until they reached the gate to the camp. No one was on guard duty. Glen was immediately worried. They pulled closed and honked the horn once. Judith came running out to open the gate for them.

As they pulled in, Judith ran over to the van. "It's Constance. She's in labor. It's not looking good," she told them.

Glen turned back to Maggie who looked stricken. "We don't have to go in," he told her. "We'll just stay out here."

She shook her head and wiped away a tear, "No, Beth is in there. They might need help. I'm going."

There she was again, his Xena, always ready to jump into the fray to help someone in need. He got out of the car and followed her in. They were a team. They always faced whatever was to come together.


	9. Delivery

Maggie saw Carol holding the knife over Constance's belly as she walked in the door.

"What's happening? What are you doing?" she yelled as she ran across the room.

"She's bleeding bad. I think the placenta might be separated. She's not going to survive but we might still be able to save the baby," Carol told her.

Beth was fighting to hold back tears. "It's what she wants Maggie. She begged us to save the baby."

"Do you," Maggie took a deep breath and continued, " do you know what you're doing?"

Carol shook her head, "I don't remember much of what I did know and that wasn't a lot."

"I can do it," Maggie told them both quickly.

"Wait, what?" Glen asked as he stepped from behind her. "You can't do this, Maggie. It's too much. You can't."

She turned and looked directly at him, "Glen I have to do this. If I can save that baby, I have to do it. I'm the only one who's had experience with this. I saved Judith. I can do this."

"But what if….what if.." Glen started to ask as she walked away.

"What if I don't do it and then something happens? At least I will have tried," she told him defiantly and then walked over and took the knife from Carol's hand.

Maggie's hands were shaking. She stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. This was going to be hard but at least they weren't being chased by walkers like they had been with Lori. She moved to the end of the cot.

Before she could start the first incision, Constance woke briefly. She was so weak that she could barely speak but she whispered, "Don't let me turn. Just don't let me turn and hurt my baby. Please."

Carol leaned down and whispered, "Don't worry. We'll take care of everything. Maggie is going to save your baby. You just rest now, be peaceful. Everything is going to be okay."

Constance turned her head and smiled gratefully at Carol. Tears were streaming down her face. "Thank you," she mouthed before losing consciousness again.

"Go now, while she's out," Carol told Maggie.

Maggie positioned the knife and began her first cut. Getting through the skin was the easy part. Then she had to feel her way around to find the uterus and cut carefully so as not to injure the infant.

As Maggie felt around inside the open incision, Constance took a long gurgling breath. Her body shook and then was completely still. Carol looked at Maggie and said, "She's gone. I've got to put her down."

"No, give me a minute. I've almost got it," Maggie quickly replied. She felt he uterus and made a long, shallow cut. Suddenly blood gushed out everywhere. "Uhh, there's so much blood. God, I can't find the baby. Wait, there I've got a leg I think," she told them as she continued her work.

"I'm doing it now, Maggie," Carol said as she pushed her knife into Constance's ear. "I promised her," she told them as her tears began to fall. She turned away and into the arms of Daryl who stood right next to her.

Maggie was pulling at the baby but everything was so slick with blood that it was hard to get a grip or see what she was holding. Finally a tiny had appeared and she got both hands around the little body. She pulled the baby out into the light. The skin was a bit blue so she gently shook and patted the still form in her hands.

Glen, Beth, Carol, Daryl and Judith all stood around in a semicircle watching, barely breathing themselves, as she tried to coax life into the tiny human in her arms. Then, a tiny gagging sound erupted followed by a thin wail. Everyone finally exhaled. The baby had survived.

Before anyone could say another word, they heard the door open across the room. Len, Carl and Rick walked in. Maggie quickly pulled up the sheet to cover the gaping wound in the Constance's abdomen. She wasn't fast enough.

"What? What happened?" he cried as he raced across the room and fell to his knees next to the cot.

"Len," Maggie said, "Len, it's a boy. You have a boy."

He refused to even look at them. "What happened? Oh, God, no. Not my Constance. She was the only good thing left. Oh, God!"

Rick stepped up and motioned for everyone to move away. "Let's just give him some space for a minute," he told them. Everyone stepped back except Maggie. She held the baby down for Len to see.

He looked once and then quickly looked away but he spoke to Maggie, "Why did she die? Why did she have to die?"

"She was very frail. We think the placenta detached and caused her to lose a lot of blood. Her body couldn't take the shock. She wanted the baby to live. That was her last wish," she told him.

He buried his head against Constance's chest and began to sob. Maggie pulled the baby to her chest and walked over to join the others at the table. She sat down beside Beth who put her arms around Maggie and the baby. They held onto each other for a moment as they both cried.

Carol walked over, wiping away her own tears. She leaned down and asked, "So can we all get a peek at this little guy?"

Maggie pulled the baby away from her chest. Carol had a small blanket ready to wrap him in. He was perfect. He had dark way hair like Constance. "He's beautiful," Beth breathed as she leaned in close.

Everyone had huddled around Maggie to get a good look.

Glen put his hands on her shoulder and leaned down to kiss her head. "You did it. I should have never doubted you," he told her proudly.

Everyone was enamored by the new life in their midst. Judith stood alone off to one side. She had watched the whole thing without much comment which was unusual. Beth looked over and asked, "What do you think, Judy? You've never seen a newborn before."

"Well it was all pretty gross and awful. The baby looks all wrinkly and red. I don't see how that's beautiful. I don't see why anyone wants to go through all that," she told them bluntly.

"It's not always like that, honey," Carol told her as she walked over to put an arm around her. "Constance had a lot of things going against her. But this little guy survived. That's a good thing."

"Yeah. It seems like everyone who has a baby has things going against them. Someone always has to die. First my Mom, then Stephen and now Constance. I just don't get it. I don't ever want to have a baby," she told them before running off toward her room.

Rick looked toward Carol, "You want me to go?"

She shook her head. "No, I'll talk to her," Carol said as she followed behind Judith.

Daryl had been sitting quietly but as Carol left he leaned forward in his chair, placing his elbows on the table. "I hate to be the bad guy here but what the hell are we supposed to feed this baby? It ain't like we can run find cans of formula like we did for Judith and there sure as hell ain't no wet nurses around here."

Everyone in the group looked around at each other for a moment. It was a problem no one had considered. "We've got the goat," Beth offered. "We can use goat milk. I guess a baby can survive on that."

"I don't think we have any other options," Carl said, "Come on. I'll help you milk her." He grabbed her hand and they headed out to the pen.

Glen sat down where Beth had been. He had dipped a hand towel in water and reached over to gently wipe the baby's face clean. The little one opened his eyes in alarm at the feel of the cool wetness on his skin. Glen and Maggie looked at each other and smiled. She held the baby out in her arms toward Glen, "You want to hold him?"

Glen didn't know what to do. "No, I can't. That's okay," he said.

"Come one, Glen. I know you know how to hold a baby. Go on," she told him as she placed the little boy in his arms.

It felt right. He looked down at the healthy baby in his arms, squirming and grunting. This was how it was supposed to be. This little boy wasn't struggling to breathe or turning blue for lack of circulation.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Maggie asked with tears brimming in her eyes.

"Yeah. It's awesome," he admitted.

Rick and Daryl walked away to give them a moment. Rick was worried about Len. The man was in shock. He knew the feeling well. He also knew that it could cause a man to do foolish and dangerous things. They'd have to keep an eye on him.


	10. The Baby

About half an hour later, Carl and Beth came back in carrying a pail of warm goat's milk. Maggie had washed out a bottle and Beth quickly filled it. She walked over and tried to hand it to Glen who was still holding the tiny baby.

"No, here, you do it," he said as he handed the baby over to her.

She sat down and Carl sat next to her. "I hope he likes it," she said as she nudged the nipple against his lips. He quickly got the gist of what was happening and latched onto the nipple then began sucking greedily.

"Well, maybe that's why they call babies little 'kids'", Carl joked. Beth elbowed him and said, "Quit it" but she laughed along with the others. They sat watching in awe at this little one having his first bottle. Rick and Glen stood to one side watching as well.

They all turned when they heard Carol walking back down the stairs. She went over and snuggled against Daryl's side. "She okay?" Daryl asked.

Carol had been up in Beth's room talking with her for about an hour. They could all tell Carol had been crying. "She'll be fine. She just needs some time to process all this. We forget how young she still is. We've seen a lot of death but this was different. She'll be fine though. She's tough. Little asskicker, right?" Daryl grinned and nodded, putting an arm around Carol's shoulder.

It had started getting dark out and these days they lived by the rising and setting of the sun. They were all hungry and tired. Maggie, especially, felt exhausted by the emotional turmoil of the past few hours. Carol offered to throw a quick meal together. They ate and then Rick suggested everyone get some rest. He planned on sitting up with Len.

Maggie and Beth lay down on one of the quilt pallets together with the baby in between them. Carl lay down next to Beth and Glen next to Maggie. The baby was warm and fed so he fell asleep easily and the others quickly followed suit.

Carol and Daryl retreated to their space upstairs which wasn't far from Judith's room. Carol peeked in on her to find her sleeping as well.

Rick sat down at the table and propped his feet in the adjacent chair. He turned himself so he was facing Len. The man had barely moved since he'd found Constance. He sat next to the cot holding her hand and staring at her face. After about an hour he walked over and squatted down next to him.

"Len, your boy is doing fine. Maggie and Beth are taking care of him. We'll help you bury Constance in the morning. Okay? You need anything right now? You want some water or food?" Rick asked.

Len looked blankly at Rick, "I don't want no food or water."

Rick nodded and started to stand, "Alright then. You just let me know. I'll be right over there if you need me."

"Why?" Len asked suddenly.

Rick didn't know what he meant. "Why what?" he asked.

"Why her? She was the last good thing I had. Why did she have to die? She never hurt a soul in her life. She did her best to take care of me, make me a better man. I did this to her. I got her pregnant. It's my fault. Why did she have to die for something that I did?" he asked pitifully.

Rick rubbed his hand against his cheek, brushing the rough beard stubble. How could he help this man? "I don't know. I don't know why," he admitted. "Things just happen sometimes. Doesn't matter if a person is good or bad. Things just happen and they can't be undone. Constance is gone but you got a baby boy to look after. You can't let yourself fall apart. You gotta be strong for that boy," he told the grieving man.

Len didn't respond but just turned back to stare at the woman he'd lost.

Rick sat vigil for another few hours. He wanted to get up and stretch his legs, make a perimeter check but he wasn't about to leave this guy alone with his sleeping family only a few feet away. Sometime later Len stood up, wiped his face with his sleeve and walked over to sit down next to Rick.

"Could I have some of that water now, please?" he asked.

"Sure thing," Rick responded as he stood up and poured a cup for the man.

"I was thinkin' about what you said, Rick," Len said after draining the cup, "I can't be a daddy to that boy. I don't know how to do that. I couldn't keep Constance safe. I sure as hell can't take care of a newborn. To tell you the truth, I never wanted a baby. It just sorta happened and then Constance was so happy. I don't know what to do."

"Being a father is a scary thing. Nobody knows what to do until it happens. You just do the best you can," Rick counseled him. "Heck I still feel like I'm doing it wrong most of the time."

Len didn't have a response. He'd gone back to staring off into the distance. After a few minutes, he stood up. "I'm gonna go get some fresh air, take a walk. I'll do a perimeter check," he told Rick.

"You want me to come with you?" Rick asked.

"Naw, I'm okay. I just need some air. Think I'll find a resting place for Constance. I think she'd like it under those dogwoods near the back corner. What do you think?" Len asked.

"I think that'd be nice," Rick responded. The he watched Len walk out. Rick was a bit relieved. It seemed the man wasn't going to "go to crazy town" as Glen called it. He walked over to the cot and gently pulled the sheet up over Constance's face. She looked peaceful.

He propped himself against the wall over near the door so he would be sure to know when Len came back in. He could see the two couples across the room sleeping with the baby nestled between them. Things were completely quiet and peaceful . It wasn't surprising that he dozed off for a bit.

He woke up later when he heard the baby crying. Both couples were up trying to figure out what he needed. Maggie was trying to figure out how to fold a cloth diaper and get it on his tiny behind while Beth got another bottle ready. They were quite a team. They soon had everything sorted out and were settled back in. Rick noticed that Len still had not returned. He decided to check outside to see what the man was up to.

Rick walked all around the back of the building and couldn't find him anywhere. Then he remembered Len mentioning a grave under the dogwoods. He walked towards the corner of the yard. It was still dark out so he couldn't see until he got right up to the spot but Len had dug a grave. The shovel lay on top of the newly turned mound of earth next to a hole. A piece of folded paper lay under the shovel handle. It was dirty and wrinkled. Rick took it and walked back into the living quarters where he had enough light to read.

"I can't stay here without my Constance. I can't be a daddy to that baby. I'd always see him as the thing that killed her. I don't want to put that on a innocent little babe. I know I'm being a coward by leaving. Constance would be ashamed of me. I just don't have it in me. I'm sorry. Don't tell the boy about me. Just tell him about his mama. I know you'll take care of him, raise him right. You're that kind of folks. God bless you and thank you."

Rick was stunned. He'd never expected the guy to leave. For a moment, he thought about waking Daryl so they could go after him but that was senseless. They couldn't make him stay. That left them with a baby to care for and a body to bury. He had some news to deliver when everyone got up.

Rick lay down on a vacant pallet and tried to catch a few winks. Tomorrow was going to be a hard day.

A few hours later, a sleepy looking Glen walked past him carrying their new arrival. Maggie was right behind him. She went straight over to start preparing the bottle. They were going to have one busy goat keeping this fellow fed.

Glen sat down and started fiddling with the clownishly large diaper that was pinned onto the wiggling little bundle. Rick couldn't help but chuckle.

"Oh, really? You're gonna laugh at me? Wait until you try this," Glen told him.

Rick walked up and took over. "Lori had us using cloth diapers with Carl. Trying to 'save the environment'. If we'd only known, right? I learned a few things, though" Rick told him. He quickly folded the full size diaper down to one that better fit the baby and then snugly wrapped it and pinned it in place. "There you go. One butt diapered!" Rick said with a flourish.

"Whoa! Who knew? Rick's a diaper guru," Glen said with a laugh.

Maggie walked over with the bottle. "Hey that's fantastic. You gotta teach us how to do that," she told him.

By that time, Carl and Beth were awake and came over to check out what was going on.

"Hey, what's all the fuss?" Carl asked.

"I was just showin' 'em how I used to swaddle your little butt," Rick told him with a grin.

"Oh, god," Carl said as he rolled his eyes.

"Aww, that's so sweet," Beth giggled as she hugged her hubby. "How's our little man doing this morning?" she asked Maggie.

"Still hungry," she told them. "I think he's gonna be okay."

Carol and Daryl came walking down the stairs about that time with Judith in tow.

"Mornin' everyone," Carol said as they sat down.

"Morning," Rick responded. "How are you doin' this morning Judith?"

"I'm fine. Sorry about last night. I don't know what got into me," she told her Dad.

"It's okay, honey. We understand," he said.

"Can I see the baby now?" she asked and Glen turned so she could watch him feeding the baby.

"He looks better since he's cleaned up. I like his hair," she commented.

"Yep, he's a handsome little cuss," Daryl offered.

"You are not comin' up with another crazy nickname for this baby," Carol scolded. "Little asskicker was bad enough. I don't want to have to be calling this one little cuss."

"I like being called Little Asskicker," Judith chimed in.

Rick hated to interrupt their happy banter but he had to break the news. "Hey, everybody. I got somethin' to tell you. Last night, Len went out and dug a grave for Constance. He wanted to go by himself. When I went out looking for him, I found this," he said as he placed the note on the table in front of them.

Maggie picked it up and read it out loud to all of them.

"He just left?" Beth asked incredulously. "He left his child?"

Maggie clasped her hand to her mouth. She was shaking.

"Should we go look for him?" Daryl asked.

"I thought about it," Rick said, "but we can't make him come back. It's his decision. If we go after him, we're risking our own lives. No, I don't think we should do it."

"He's grieving," Maggie said. "He's just grieving. He might hurt himself. We shouldn't just let him go out there all alone."

Glen reached and took her hand. "Maggie, we have to take care of this baby. That has to be our priority now. Len left. He's a grown man. It was his choice. We can't risk our people going after him when this little guy is going to need all of us to have a chance," he told her.

Carl agreed. "He's right. You remember how much it took to keep Judy safe and fed when she was a baby. It'll be the same if not worse. We don't have baby formula now. We don't have Pampers. It's gonna be a lot of work raising a newborn and trying to survive ourselves."

Beth had been sitting quietly. She looked around at all of them , seeming hesitant, but then began to speak. "We can adopt him. All of us. Maggie and I can be his mamas. Glen and Carl can be his daddies. Rick will be his grandpa. Carol, Daryl and Judy will be his aunts and uncle. I know it may be selfish but I want to keep this baby," she admitted to them all. Carl just hugged her close.

"Well, I don't see as we've got a choice at this point," Rick said. "That baby needs feeding and caring for now whether Len comes back or not. Let's just not put labels on anything at this point. Let's give it a few days. He may come to his senses and come back and want to be a daddy. Right now we need to worry about taking care of him and we need to bury his Mama. We can do that soon as y'all are ready."

The baby had finished his bottle and Maggie took him on her shoulder for a burp. Glen watched her proudly. "What are we gonna call him?" Glen asked. "I mean are we just gonna keep calling him the baby?"

"Let's give him a name," Beth said. "I always wanted to name my baby boy William after my pawpaw on Mama's side. We could call him Will."

"That's a good name," Carl told her. "A fine name," Rick agreed. Maggie nodded with a smile and Glen agreed as well.

"Well I guess that settles it," Daryl said, "Welcome to the family, Will. I'll come up with a good nickname for you. We just won't tell Carol."

Rick stood back and watched the group sitting around the table. They were the best people he'd ever known, full of love and hope when everything outside was death and fear. Survival for them all had come at a cost. No one had come out unscathed, but they'd made it this far. Judith was nearly grown. He was getting to be an old man. They had a new family member just starting out. What would this scene be like in another ten years or another twenty? There was no way of knowing what life was going to throw at them but he knew that somehow they'd be together even on down the road and further along.

Author's note – I had intended for this to be the last chapter but one more thing came to me last night so I guess there'll be one more chapter. Thanks to anyone who's read it all.


	11. The End

Len never came back. They looked for him on every supply run and asked about him if they ran across any other survivors. It was like he'd vanished.

They buried Constance in the grave he'd dug and made a marker. They wanted to make sure that Will would know where his mother was buried. Judith was a pretty fair sketch artist and she tried her best to sketch a portrait from memory so that he could see what his mom had looked like. She always regretted not having a picture of her own mother.

Will was an energetic and healthy baby. The nickname Little Cuss did stick with him, if only through Daryl. He was never wanting for attention thanks to two sets of parents. Mama Maggie, Mama Beth, Papa Glen and Papa Carl all doted on him. Rick, Carol and Daryl had decided to skip the familial monikers so no Grandpa Rick. Judith, on the other hand, loved being Aunt Judy. For the first time ever, she wasn't the youngest one in the family.

The National Guard base started to look more like a farm as the years went by. They planted the whole back field with vegetables and even expanded to a plot outside the fence a few years later. Carol had been able to can several jars of beans and other vegetables over the past year.

As the walker population dwindled, game became more plentiful so they usually had plenty of venison on hand. The goats had multiplied enough that they occasionally feasted on goat meat along with their goat milk and cheese.

A few other survivor groups came and went over the years. The only ones who stayed were an older couple and their grandson who happened to be only a year older than Judy. It hadn't taken long for the two of them to become a pair.

When Will was about five, they had a surprise visit from some old friends. One day three riders on horseback rode up to the gate and a burly red haired guy jumped from one of the saddles. Glen stepped outside in time to hear him yelling, "Hey, assholes. You gonna open this gate or do I need to knock it down?"

"It's Abraham," Glen yelled back inside to Maggie.

It turned out to be Abraham, Tara and Rosita. They'd been on the road for weeks hoping to find their old friends. Abraham told them the story of their experience in Washington.

"Pardon my French, folks, but Washington is fucked. By the time we got there, the whole place was being run by basically military warlords. A couple of guys are controlling everything that goes on and it ain't pretty. They're hoardin' food and supplies and tradin' on the blackmarket. They got kids with AK47's running around shooting anything that moves. The fortifications are failing. It's the worst thing I've ever seen and I was in some third world country war zones before the turn. The shits in charge are worse than the walkers," he told them.

"What happened to Eugene?" Rick asked. "I thought he was gonna fix this thang."

Abraham shook his head sadly. "Man, he tried. The thing about Eugene was that he was super smart but naïve too, like a kid in some ways. He just wanted to do the right thing all the time, couldn't see the bad in people, ya know? When we got there, they locked him in a lab with a couple of other scientists, kept 'em locked up day and night so they couldn't leave or stop working. They didn't have the supplies or support they needed to finish their work. It ate at him constantly. About a year ago, he started gettin' sick. The Army doc said it was some kind of cancer but I think he was just broken hearted. He wanted to make things right again but he couldn't do it alone. He lasted for six months . After he was gone, me, Tara and Rosita waited for the first opportunity to split and we ain't looked back."

"Well, we're awfully glad you found us," Maggie told them all as she held Will on her lap.

"So who is this handsome fellow," Tara asked. "I can tell he's Glenn's from that jet black hair."

"I'm Will and I'm five," he said with smiling pride.

"Yeah, Maggie, Beth, Carl and I adopted Will," Glen told her.

"Oh, well that makes you four times lucky little man," Tara told him.

"How on earth did you manage to find us?" Carol asked them as she went about preparing a meal.

"It was the strangest thing," Tara said. "We'd been riding through northern Georgia for weeks. The roads are awful. We'd have to double back and take side roads, sometimes the horses couldn't even make it through where the kudzu and brush had gotten so thick. We came around this curve and there's a tiny cabin sitting right near the road with a pretty little creek running behind it. It was so picturesque that I asked Abraham to stop for a minute. It was like a postcard or something. The grass was trimmed. There were flowers in a pot on the porch."

"Yeah and a crazy old dude living there. He freaked me out," Rosita chimed in.

"He was a little strange for sure. It was a guy named Len. He had a long bushy beard and hair past his shoulders. He invited us in for some food. We got to talking, told him we were looking for our friends. He told us about a group he'd been with, said the leader's name was Rick. He told us he'd left you at a National Guard base near Ringgold Georgia. We came straight here or as straight as we could given the road situation. It was kind of a miracle or something," Tara told them.

"Len? His name was Len?" Rick asked.

"Yeah. He said you all were great but he preferred being on his own," Rosita told them.

"Well, that's fine then," Rick said, "that's good to know."

The three old friends joined the family at the base. About two years later, Abraham and Rosita had a little girl. On Rick's sixtieth birthday, Judith presented him with a healthy grandson.

"We're gonna have to build an addition if you folks keep breedin' like dang rabbits," Daryl teased as he got his first look at Little Asskicker Jr.

Life became calm again. The threats were still there but fewer and farther between. Rick and Daryl made sure that everyone kept vigilant no matter what. They always had someone on guard at night and the fences were reinforced if any weak spots developed.

One bright sunny morning, Rick found himself sitting at another festively decorated birthday breakfast table. This time Will was turning 16. He'd grown into a tall, handsome young man. Everyone had congratulations and small gifts.

Rick was almost 70 now. His hair was solid white and he'd grown a white beard. He'd catch his reflection at times and think he looked a bit like Hershel, except he still had a smaller ass. Daryl had gone mostly gray as well. He was a much quieter fellow after they lost Carol. She passed when Will was 13 from what they suspected was breast cancer.

Both men had passed the torch of leadership over to Glenn and Carl shortly after that. They now spent their afternoons hunting, fishing, playing with their grandkids or sitting around telling tall tales about their exploits from years ago.

Rick never expected to get this far in his life when he awoke in that ravaged hospital over 30 years ago. He figured he'd be lucky to survive a year or two in the hell that life had become at that point. He had done a lot of hard things to make it through. He couldn't regret anything though because it had all brought him and his family to this point in time where things were good again. The one thing he wished for was that Lori could have lived to see Carl and Judith grown up and happy. They'd be together again one day though and he couldn't wait to tell her all about their children and grandchildren.

Hershel, Carl, Michonne, Andrea, T-Dog, Tyrese and Dale would all be there too, maybe even old Merle Dixon. He hoped they'd set up a nice camp somewhere near the water like the one they had at the quarry. Eventually they'd all be together again. It wasn't a bad prospect at this point in life, not at all.

Authors note – Okay, final chapter. I kind of hate to end this. It was fun imagining all my favorite characters as they got older and faced new challenges. I appreciate all the kind reviews and hope you'll check out some of my other Walking Dead stories. I'm feeling another Merle story coming on so that may be next. Good luck to all my fellow Walking Dead fans in our wait for Season Five. In the meantime, keep yourself busy doing "stuff and thangs" as Rick would say.


End file.
